Wringer



G. E. RANDLES.

WRINGEB.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAY ISI. 1920.

1,41 1,744. A Ptente Apr, 4, 1922;

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GEORGE E. RANDLES, CLEVELAND, OI'IO, ASSGNGR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE FOUTE-BURG? COMPANY, CORPORATION '01T OHEO.

WRNGER.

initalia. Y

Application filed May 19,

To all ily/0m may concern.'

lle it known that l, (leonor, ll-ANni/ns, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county oi Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and 'lul lminfovements in lllringg'crs, ot which the following' is a specification.

The present invention relates to clothes wringers and more particular-ly to po wer driven clothes wringers such as are used with power washing` machines. in connection with the use of such wring'ers there is danger that the operator may accidentally get a. finger or hand caught between the rolls and in such case it is desirable to be able to quickly release thevsprine pressure on the rolls. Also it may sometimes be desirable to be able to quickly release the rolls in case clothes or other articles being wrunn` get wound around the rolls. For this purpose there lare in use what are termed quick release mechanisms for wringrers and the object ot my present invention is to provide an improved structure and arrangement in a. mechanism of this character.

For a. consideration of what l believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed. to the accompanying' description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing', Fig'. 1 .is a side elevation of the upper part ot a wring'er embodying my invention, the wringer 'trame being` brolren away for purposes ot illiistration;

,Fig 2 is a side elevation of a part of the quick release mechanism with parte broken away 'For purposes of illustration. Fl is a sectional'view taken on line 3 3 olz 'F 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are side and end views olf a modification, and Fig. G shows complete wrii'in'er.

Referring to the drawing', l0' indicates the frame ot' a wringer, 11 the rolls.A and 12 a gear boX in which is a `gearing' shifted by handle 13 for starting', stopping; and reversing' the rolls. The wringer is shown being' mounted on a post 1l so that it can swing: ina horizontal plane. The ends ot the rolls have stub shafts which are carried in able bearings in the sides ci the 'trame i is well understood and attending; across the trame is a iiat spring` har 15 tho ends ot which rest on the upper wrinie'cr bearings 'tor forcing' the rolls together. Connected to the center ot bar 15 by means oi" a swirel connection 16 is a threaded post 1T having Speecation of Letters Fatent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

i920. serial no, 382,541.

an operating' handle 18 on its upper end. As yis well understood when post 17 is screwed down spring bar 15 willorce rolls 11 together while when it is screwed up it will relieve the tension on the rolls.

New according to my invention, I provide a. two part or split nut in which post 17 screws and arrange my mechanism so that the two parts of the nut are normally held together in engagement with post 17 but may be instantly released and permitted to move apart to release post 1,7 thereby releasing spring bar 15 and hence the pres* sure on'rolls 11. The arrangement is also such that there is a releasing handle'or knob at each end ot the wring'er so there is always one in a convenient position 'for the operator.

The split nut is arranged directly beneath the top wall oi the wringer 'trame and comprises two parts 20 and 21. The part 2O is carried upon the upper end oi a short vertical arm 22 which is pivoted at its lower end on a shaft 23 the ends of which are carried in the wringer trame, and such nut part is biased to a position where its threads are in engagement with those on post 17 by. a weg-ht 24 carried on the end ot an arm 25 which is connected to and extends at a right angle to arm 22. Preferably nut part 20, arm 22, arm 25 and weight 241 are iormedas an integral structure7 being made, for eX- ample, as single casting. In a similar manner nut part 2l is carried on the upper end of a short, vertical arm 26 which is pivoted at its lower end on a shaft 27 the ends ot which are carried in the wringer frame, and such nut part is biased to a position in .engagement with the threads on post 17 by a weight 28 carried on the end ot an arm 29 which is connected to and extends at a right angle to 22. Nut part 21, arm 26, arm 29 and weight 28 may also be made as a single casting. The two nut parts are thus biased by the weights to positions where they the threads on post 17 and in order to positively hold them in such positions, l provide a latch comprising; a rectangular une Il() which at one end is pivoted by a 'pin ,Si to ears on the upper end ot nut parihe other end ot trame Bl) tits over nut part 2i) as best shown in Fig'. and thus ser res to keep the nut parts from separating. TFastened on nut part 2O and in the end ot 'trame BO are wear pieces 33 and 'l-'l which may be made ot steel tor example, .and which Y serve to protect latch 30 against wear. Connected to frame 30 are two extensions 35 and 36, extension 35 being heavier than extension 36 so that it serves to bias latch frame 30 into a position over the end of nut part 20 and to hold the end of extension 36 against a head 37 on the inner end of a pin `38. Pin 38 extends through the top of the wringer frame and has a knob 39 on its outer end. Extending through the top of the wringer frame at its other end is a pin 40 having a knob 41 on its outer end and a head 42 on its inner end which head rests on one end of a short lever 43. Lever 43 is pivoted in the wringer frame at 44 and its other end is located under the end of extension 35. Latch frame 30, and extensions In the case of knob 39 the action on the lever is direct while in the case of knob 41 the action takes place through lever 43.

When the nut parts 'are in the positions shown in the drawing, being locked together by the latch frame 30, post 17 may be screwed up and down at will to decrease and increase the tension of spring bar 15 on the rolls 11. Assume that post 17 is screwed down so that spring bar 15 is under tension and it is desired to quickly release such tension. To do this the operator has merely to push on either knob 39 or knob 41 when the latch lever will be moved ofi' nut part 20 as already explained, and the upward pressure of spring bar 15 on post 17 will instantly move the post upward to release rolls 11, the nut parts being forced apart against the action of weights 24 and 28 by the threads on post 17. That is, the upward pressure of the threads on post 17 against the threads on the parts of the nut will cause the parts of the nuts to spread so the post can slide past them.

As soon as the pressure on rolls 11 is relieved., post 17 will come to rest and weights 24 and 28 will bring the nut parts into engagement with it. If the threads on the nut parts register with and strike into those on the post,rthen the weighted extension 35 will bring the latch frame 30 down over nut Y of a spring 45, the two ends of which engage nut parts 2Oa and 21a to force them tofrether and into engagement with the threaded post.

As will be clear, a quick release mechanism made in accordance with my invention is simple in structure, requiring but few parts, none of which must be accurately dimensioned or fitted which makes for low cost in manufacturing and ease in'assembling. At the same time the arrangement is positive in operation and not likely to get out of order. This latter is of prime importance for while the quick release mechanism may be called upon to operate but seldom, when it is called upon, the operation wants to Vbe sure and positive. To lift or turn the latch lever requires but a small amount of pressure applied to either knob so that the release of the wringer rolls may be accomplished almost instantly. It is also advantageous to have the mechanism operated by a push on the lever as this does not require taking hold of theln but merely pushing on them, a thing which can be done in the shortest space of time; and by having a knob at each end of the wringer, there is always one directly adjacent the operator for instant operation.

Post 17 passes freely through the opening in the top wall of the wringer frame and the threads on it and on the nut parts are of suitable V-shape of such an angle that the upward thrust of post 17 tends to spread the nuts. 'The opening in frame 10 through which post 17 passes is provided with a flange surrounding it and this forms a guide for such post so that when it is released from between the nut parts it is held vertical and guided in its movements. This is important in the quick release of the wringer as itl keeps the post from moving sideways with either nut part thus insuring'the quick and simultaneous disengagement of the nut parts from the post.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes. I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together withthe apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a wringer, the combination of a frame, rolls, a threaded post for increasing and' decreasing the tension on` said rolls, a nut for the `post comprising a plurality of parts, means biasing said nut parts to positions in engagement withthe threads on said post, means for holding the nut parts in such positions, and means for releasing said holding means, whereby tension on therolls may cause the post to spread the nut parts thereby releasingfthe post and permitting it to move upwardly to relieve the tension on the rolls.

2. In a wringen-the combination of a frame, rolls, a threaded post which passes through: the frame for increasing and decreasing the tension on said rolls, a nut for the post comprising a plurality of parts, arms pivotally supportedA on theA frame which. carry said nut parts, said arms being biased to positions where said nut parts are in engagement with the threads on said post, locking means for said arms, and means for releasing said locking means, whereby tension on the rolls may cause the post to spread the nut parts thereby releasing the post and permitting it to move upwardly to relieve the tension on the rolls.

3. In a wringer, the combination of a frame, rolls, a threaded post for increasing and decreasing the tension on said rolls, a pair of arms pivoted at one end between the sides of the wringer frame7 nut parts carried by the other ends of said arms, said nut parts being adapted to engage the post, upward pressure on the post caused by tension on the rolls acting to automatically spread the nut parts by turning the arms on their pivots, means for latching the nut parts in `positions where they engage the threads on said post, and means projecting beyond the wringer frame for releasing said latching means.

a. In a wringer, a frame, rolls carried by the frame, a threaded post l'or increasingand decreasing the tension on said rolls, arms pivotally supported on the frame, nut parts carried thereby adapted to engage the threads on said post, a latch pivoted on one of said arms for locking said nut parts together with their threads in engagement with the threads on said post, and means operable from outside the wringer frame for releasing said latch, whereby tension on the rolls may cause the post to spread the nut parts thereby releasing the post and permitting it to move upwardly to relieve the tension on the rolls.

5. In a wringer, a frame, rolls carried by the frame, a. threaded post for increasing and decreasing the tension on said rolls, pivoted arms, nut parts carried thereby, means biasing said arms to positions where said nut parts are in engagement with the threads on said post, a latch pivoted on one oi said arms for latching said nut parts together, and means operable from outside the wringer frame 'for releasing saidV latch, whereby tension ontherolls may cause the post to spread the nut parts thereby releasing the post and permitting it to more upwardly to relieve the tension on the rolls.

6. in a wringer, thecombination of rolls, a threaded post for increasing and decreasing the 'tension on said rolls, a'nut for the post comprisingL a plurality of parts, pivoted arms which carry said nut parts, a lever ior locking said nut parts in positions where they engage the threads on said post, said lever extending approximately the length of' the wringer trame, land means at each end of the wringer frame for movingy said lever to release said nut' parts.

7. In a wringer, the combination of rolls, a threaded post for increasing andV decreasing the tension on said` rolls, a nut for the post comprising a plurality of' parts, latching means for locking said nut parts in engagement with the threads on said post, means biasing said latching means to locking position, and means operable from outside the wringer frame for moving said latching means against the biasing force to release the nut parts, whereby tension on the rolls may cause the post to spread the nut parts thereby releasing the post and permitting it to move upwardly to relieve the tension on theV rolls.

8. In a wringer, the combination of rolls, a threaded post for increasing and decreasing the tension on said rolls, a nut for the post comprising a plurality of parts, said parts being biased to positions where they are in engagement with the threads on said post, latching means for locking said nut parts in engagement with the threads on said post, said latching means being biased to locking position, and means operable from outside the wringer frame for moving said latching means against the biasing force to release the nut parts.

9. ln a wringer, the combination of a frame, rolls, a threaded post for increasing and decreasing the tension on said rolls, a nut for the post comprising two parts, arms pivotally supported on the frame upon which said nut parts are carried, means biasing said nut parts toward positions where they engage the threads on said post, a locking member pivoted on one of said nut parts and adapted to engage the other to lock them together, said locking member being biased to locked position, and means operable from outside the wringer frame for moving said locking member to release the nut parts, whereby tension on the rolls may cause the post to spread the nut parts thereby releasing the post and permitting it to move upwardly to relieve the tension on the rolls.

1G. in a wringer, the combination of a frame, rolls, a threaded post for increasing and decreasing the tension on said rolls, a vertically projecting arm which is pivoted at its lower end on the frame, a nut member `carried by the upper end of said arm and adapted to engage the threads on the post, upward pressure on the post acting to automatically turn the arm on its pivot to move the nut member from engagement with the post, a latch for locking the nut member in engagement with the threads on the post,

` ing the pressure exerted by the means on the rolls, of a dividedy nut, the parts of Which are hinged to the frame on opposite sides of the screw, a member which cooperates with the hinge pivots to hold the parts ofthe nut in engagement with the screw, and a device for Y moving the memberin a direction to release the parts of the nut.

l2. The combination with a Wringer comprising a frame, rolls, tension means for the rolls, and a screw for-increasing and decreasing the pressure exerted by the means on the rolls, of a nut comprising members which are hinged to the frame, and nory mally engage the screw, said tension means causing the parts of the nut to separate when they are released, a device for normally locking the parts of the nut, and means causing the parts of the nut to automatically reengage the screw after each release of the screw and tension means. n

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of May, 1920.

GEORGE E. RANDLES. 

